Screamingtree

Between the market stalls at Fugalei, there is an underground scene of collective souls connected by this game we call Checkers.

Affectionately referred to as ‘Mu’ here in Samoa, this past-time is generally associated with Ava drinking older men who crowd around makeshift checker boards using multicolored milk bottle caps as a checker.

No one can remember who exactly brought Mu to Samoa, it varies between the early American soldiers before they took over Pago Pago – the Germans who brought the home-brew and weapons now used in the plantation and the New Zealanders who held government for a period of time before the Independence of Samoa. The rules of Checkers played in Samoa are the basic American rules in which the argument of the Americans introducing checkers remains with the Yanks.

The nimble fingers dance across the board with hands showing wear and tear of a hardworking life, a dedication to working the family plantation, building the family home, the hand of a bible holding childhood, disciplinary cuts of a hand upon a child - once strong and useful to the Aiga these hands are reduced to the competition of a quick thinking mind and the reasoning of veteran conscience that dictates the outcome of this simple game.

To the naked eye of an outsider, the old men playing Mu is an equivalent of a bunch of alcoholics, but if you look deeper it is more than just a game that these souls play to fade away the lazy hot Samoan afternoon, but a last element of competition to show superiority and being a man in this culture of hierarchy and duty bound soldiers of a village, family, country.

Mu, is played in orderly fashion, you wait your turn, you play your game – win or lose, it carries on until the next – a coconut shell of Ava is passed around the crowd of players and bystanders, the slowing effect surprisingly makes the decision making in checkers easier bringing a slow motion effect and a focus shifting from the following move to anticipating the next three moves of your opponent - this is what you can refer to as the ‘escape’.

The escape and the joy of playing a game of war in which the only one that loses is not dependent on how bad you play, but how bad your opponent plays and how you anticipate the mistakes before they happen is enjoyed now by a myriad of different ages and levels of skill in the Art of Mu, the feeling of winning a game connects directly to diverting the depression held by one and becomes an addiction of finding fragments of a self-esteem booster.

In Apia, the tables of Mu are rarely a place of excitement nor is it an attraction for a tourist to hustle and bustle through the stalls of Samoan knick knacks to witness, but if you silently pass by and watch how these men dedicate hours of their lives to the game – you may be surprised at how fast they play and how hard the finishing move of a checker is slammed onto the makeshift board, it is a theatre show for where the v.i.p is truly only v.i.p once you are a player and once you are a player, you can’t help but want to play again.

Win or Lose, this game is better than life – and for the Samoan Mu player, this is all there is to look forward to.

1. When I’m drunk, I tend to…..
talk to much..

2. Shots or beer?
…eek! Beer… shots is for showoff’s

3. Do you have a drinking buddy?
I have different buddy’s for different kinds of drinking.. usually either my best friends or complete strangers in which i can make up alot of shit and cut loose on my imagination.

4. Do you get angry?
I’ve gotten angry particularly with vodka.. and bourbon/whiskey

5. Do you puke?

Sometimes, but its a weather thing, if I’m drinking something icy cold while its hot and humid, it usually doesn’t mix - but thats a human thing right? not a light weight thing.. lmfao.
6. After 7 drinks who are you?

I’m not sure, I wish I was sasha fierce, but I’m the same person, only more relaxed… lol
7 Drinks closer to my ideal weight..
I don’t get this..
8. Tequila makes you?
Wonder why its such a “cool” thing to do..

10. Vodka makes you?
Angry

11. Do you smoke when you drink?
Yeah, I dont really like peanuts or chips and dip..

12. Do you pass out?
In the beginning - no, but lately.. a few times.

13. Do you drink girly drinks?
Haha. yeah.

14. Do you drink alone?
Not usually.

15. Worst drink you have ever had?
Maltese Grappa (wine)

16. Do you play drinking games?
Not really.

17. Favorite Beer?
Vailima or Carona

18. What is your favorite shot?
Jager

19. What will you NOT drink?
Anything mixed with wine..

20. Are you a lightweight when it comes to alcohol?
I’m average..

22. Do you ever drink Bacardi Silver?

Never heard of it..

23. Do you like frozen drinks?
Hell yeah.

24. Do you drink liquor straight?
Wow.. umm. I can drink those milk ones straight, and others..but I don’t like the look on my face when that shit burns the back of my throat..

25. Do you ever drink out of the bottle?
I’m not picky, I usually dont care how I drink it, a bottle, through a straw.. i duno.

26. Are you drunk right now???
No..I could be though, but no.

27. Do you consume more than 2 alcoholic beverages on daily basis?
There was a point in my life when this was true..

28. Do you drink a lot of wine?
I wish, never really found a wine that I would ‘enjoy’ drinking..

29. When’s the last time you drank?
Friday Night..

30. Name someone that will repost this drinking survey?
Not sure.

Ever been streaking when drunk??
No no no, I think if I was drunk, it would raise my tendency to do things like that, I guess alot of practice..

32. Hot tub/pool naked because of alcohol?
No…unfortunately.

33. Failed any college courses due to alcohol alone?
No.. not that I know of

34.Ever woken up and said dude wheres my car??
LOL, yeah.

35. Ever carried someone up & down the same flight of stairs?
Yes…

36. Puked in a friend’s car?
Nope, a taxi maybe..

37. What is the last liquor you drank?
Vailima Beer

We have two gentleman here in the country representing Brahma Kumaris holding courses in healthy living, positive thinking, staying calm etc etc..

Lets see how the staff react in Samoa to this new way of ‘thinking’

I’m in the need of a dose of positive thinking myself - the weekend, bland, uneventful and blaming the government fortnight pay of being broke.

Hmm. wonder if there is some money management course…. Oh wait, I don’t even know why I’m asking because I don’t think I’d even follow.

Up up and away.

When your in love with someone, you do all your lovey dovey cutesy couple things, wierd - for some reasons Samoans here in Samoa just don’t do that.

Its Taboo.

Kids walk to school with thier friends and hold hands, girls can hold another girls hand, a boy can hold another boys hand - but a girl and boy holding hands is kaukalaikiki (considered cheeky) LOL

So unless we are either pro-gay and lesbian, it is instilled in our culture that holding hands with your girlfriend or boyfriend is just something ‘you do not do’ (even if your married!)

The lack of public showing of affection between couples is a wierd observation to me, only because I haven’t been in one here in Samoa (relationship that is) LMAO so I wouldn’t know and I don’t have anyone to practice this taboo with.

I’m guessing though, that some part of me would probably not even do it.

Is it rude? I’m not quite sure.

Everyone I’ve asked just says ‘you just don’t do it, your allowed to, but generally relationships are just a private thing’.

Holding hands is a beautiful thing to see, ok seriously, just thinking about it makes me wanna go and date someone so I can have a hand to hold (when I go to NZ or somewhere else) LOL.

Hm. Ok, just thought I’d share that with you

Love Always.

In Apia, there are approximately 6-7 elevators. Yesterday, I was thrown back into reality of how a simple thing as operating an elevator is still a foreign experience for our own people, an elderly lady entered the parking entrance of the Government building in Apia and was going to level 1, Eira and I had to get off at ground level (our inability to walk up 1 flight of stairs…is something else) but as we stepped off the elevator this lady became very scared and started to shake visibly, Eira held onto the door from closing and the lady asked with a tear in her eye how she was supposed to get to level 1.  We had pressed the button for her and asked her if she would like us to take her.  Thankfully, we led her out until she found the office she was searching for.

If you are ever in Samoa and you wonder why there is a guy working inside the elevator to press the buttons - its because of incidents like this. Our people are not stupid, our people are not unable to learn simple processes like this - fact (a) we don’t have many multiple level buildings (b) stairs is still the most commonly used access points for multiple level buildings (c) if you haven’t been overseas in which elevators are almost in every building this experience is usually a rare kind for our people.

Its sometimes the simplest things that I’ve taken for granted all my life, is the strongest reality check of where I am now and how greatful I am.

Just a thought…

So Chi emailed me and advised that a slick photographer from the States is coming to Samoa to shoot some images and for me to be a Samoan contact.

Chi hooked up Martha to get in contact and now, I have no idea where to begin except for the fact that I’m more excited about Q coming to Samoa than anyone else.

If you haven’t checked out the artwork of Q Guillory then please google it.

Unfortunately I’ve only seen a few and are yet to get onto his website for a peek and stare since my workplace has decided to block the downloading of images, who does that?

So Q is going to be here – and as much as I’m excited I have so many things for him to see, people for him to meet and beautiful things for him to turn into something incredibly crazy.

Lets just hope my abs and sexy body is ready for him to shoot LOL.

Yes, I can dream, but this dream of being photographed by a crazy cool photographer is something I can work on – photoshop is gods gift to our generation right?

Hm..I’ve joined up to a Gym today even though I know he might not want to photograph me for his art I can sure ask him to photograph me as a practice LOL.

Bring it on baby!

P.S His photography work is similar to my favorite photographer in the whole world, David La Chapelle!

Outside my window, the iconic Hotel Kitano Tusitala is burning – I thought the whole hysteria about a graffiti piece of the ‘Mary’ or ‘St Theresa’ which was found on the J. Williams Building 2 nights ago was going to be the highlight of the week – the whole Catholic community in Samoa has been worshipping this smudge on a building as a sign from God and as Fr Silva quoted in the paper today ‘it’s a wake up call for us Christians to meditate on’ – each to their own – the miracle of a piece of artwork being worshipped is questionable on its own.
But anyway, the Kitano is now burning.
It took about 20 minutes of flames before I heard the Apia Fire Brigade make an attempt to a rescue – at this stage, there is no known cause, except for the fact that outside my window in the Government Building of Samoa – a Samoan Icon – is burning. Mr Y.P Reddy – I wish you luck and hope that its not Laumei Faiaga finally burning you for revenge.

For those who are unsure, the Radio Dj simply named “Olga” has been ruling the airwaves of Samoa with her matter of fact and down to earth approach to hosting the ever-so-popular morning shows of Magic FM here in Samoa.

Olga, at any time could whip out a myriad of responses in live on air callers and respond and handle any situation with an ease that comes with her 10 year radio Dj Career, a fact that she shakes her head in realising that it has been that long.

For me, personally, Olga has always been my favourite on air host, she’s the kind of girl at the party that is friends with everyone while she marches to her own beat while respecting the standards of others.

So it was this morning that I sat down with her in her office in Savalalo and at first anticipating a slick and high profile radio woman, Olga steps into the door of the reception commanding attention with her Puletasi and peeps over to see what her young son is doing in her office (who at that time was clicking around on youtube on the office computer).

This high profile Radio host is also the stations General Manager and runs her work in a family friendly environment.

So I sit down with Olga and start setting up my note-taker and have a bit of catch up talk and explanation of what this interview is about etc etc.. and here it is. Enjoy.

So, Olga, whats the full name?

Olga starts laughing “The full name?” (mumbles out a long sounding name and starts laughing). “Well, its, Olga Moeileula Von Reiche-Keil.”

Awesome, well, lets start with the cool stuff.. what would have been your coolest experience working here @ Magic?

Olga thinks hard “Oh, I’ve had so much I’m not quite sure.. but there was this time when I had a whole bunch of little kids who came in on a tour and were running around while I was on air, the nicest thing about them was that they sent a nice poster that they drew at school (Vaiala Beach School)” Olga gets up “I’ll go get it, because I’m a show off” She runs off into the studio and comes back in with a large colored poster with little pictures and messages of thanks “It was so cute and I loved how they did it for me, so definitely, that would have been the coolest thing, for me”.

What about, one of your worst on air moment?

Well, not really, I guess everything is all good, if there was anything bad it would have been when I first started, I always did things by the book and then there was this bad caller who had called in and wanted a song, I couldn’t play his request and he started giving me attitude.

What do you mean?

Well, he was just being an egg I guess, it was all these swear words and him having this whole gangster type attitude. So I played that Three Doors Down song “Loser” and I told him “this one is dedicated to you”. But you know, over the years it came with experience. We get bad callers and then we get good callers its about not taking things personal.

Recognised on the street?

Olga laughs “No, not really, but you know, once I start talking, they take a second to think and then ask ‘hey are you the girl from the radio’. But generally its not a big deal.”

How long is a normal day in the Studio?

“A normal working day I guess, I’ve stepped back a bit from doing on the air shows and focusing on the behind the scenes stuff and we’ve recently just moved closer so there are some times when we’d have to rush back into the studio to do some last minute recording for radio ads or something like that, but, when we were living further away, we’d just leave at 5 and that was that”

So what do you do for Fun, outside of work?

Taking care of my clan, I have four beautiful children, the eldest is 12 and that takes up most of my time. So family is pretty much everything I do and work for.

Oh hey, by the way, is there any kind of songs or artists that you just hate playing?

Olga smiles and then laughs at it “Oh you know what? Anything from Celine Dion or Willy Nelson. But hey, you know, thats just Personal preference, our people love that stuff, but for me, I’d stay clear from that as much as I can”

Would you say you have an Influence on the Youth here in Samoa?

“Yeah, I try to! But I guess in smaller ways, I’m always finding that I’m pushing out positive messages here and there, you know, simple things, like manners ‘Please, Excuse Me, Tulou. Those are the things I stress alot, oh! And especially driving and being cautious on the road”

Do you get any feedback because of that?

“Oh yeah definitely, thats what I miss the most (when I’m not doing a show) is the amount of supporters ringing in saying ‘good work’ ‘you guys are doing an awesome job’ and the texts of compliments and good feedback, I look forward to that and it means alot.”

Well, being on radio obviously has you listening in to a huge amount of different music, personally though, what are your music tastes? Or what are you diggin’ right now?

“Oh, I’m really into Lady Gaga, Katy Perry the strong type of women artists and alot of the U.K artists like Lily Allen and of course Amy Winehouse, the wierd type of music”

So to the Teuila Questions, What was the hosting of Miss Samoa like for you, did you enjoy it?

“It was really good! A lot of pressure, chatting to the nation and alot of nerves! All together or overall it was a great experience and I’m happy that I did that” Do you agree: Yes, Definately.

Would you host Miss Samoa again?

“Yeah, I’d love to, I’d definitely give another thought into it! You know honestly, and humbly I didn’t think I did a good job, Verona is excellent at that type of thing – but I guess it comes down to experience, if I had another go, there would be improvements”

Well, I think you did an Amazing job, both you and James.

“Well hosting it with James was good he was excellent at making me feel at ease, we could read each other, like, opposed to working with someone older or..” Olga starts laughing “well, what I mean was, we were able to bounce off each other and he could read what I was thinking, so there was a professional connection there”

So what are your thoughts on Teuila in general?

“I love Teuila, I guess the highlights for me are the fautasi race, paddling and the regatta canoes and If I can make it, the float parade! – some of them are so funny with the floats but more importantly the effort that goes into it, seeing all the different displays – its special to see so I’d love to take the kids down and get them to watch that”

So looking on to the future..what are Olga’s plans?

“I don’t know, we (Corey Keil) just put our heads down and work so hard, I want to go to Europe, do alot more travel, I have a dream to take them (children) to see the world. Hopefully one day. But it all comes down to money” Olga starts laughing “Its always the case”.

Any words you’d like to share to our 1Samoana Natives and the Samoans around the world?

“COME TO SAMOA, TRY THIS BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE. This is a beautiful Country. I am always proud of our country and what it has to offer, not just in terms of how developed Samoa is compared to other island nations but the lifestyle is a totally different experience, there is so much to see and do and experience”

Any places of recommendation?

“Probably Lalomanu, Vavau Beach in Upolu, if you were to invite someone to come to Samoa to relax then I’d definitely say Savaii, everywhere in Savaii, every beach in Savaii its so nice and isolated. My favourite things to do in Savaii and have taken my kids would be the turltles, its an amazing experience, so come! Everybody come back home!”

I couldn’t agree more! Thanks so much for your time Olga and can’t wait to catch up with you during the Teuila Festivities 2009!